


Of Leather and Smiles

by thesassywallflower



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: F/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29810424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesassywallflower/pseuds/thesassywallflower
Summary: My dearest Vi has had an extremely rough week so I thought I'd write her a little something starring one of her favorite characters. We were chatting about Geralt the other day, and she mentioned that who Geralt needs in his life is someone who would nurture and care for him through thick and thin. So that got me thinking about what that would look like, and then this plot bunny pounced on me. I also wanted to play with the idea that while Geralt isn't much of talker, what if he had a rather chatty inner voice? So here you go! A fluffy Modern!Geralt AU! I hope you enjoy it, sweet Vi! It was written with all my love. And I hope you all enjoy it too, my dear readers.P.S. In typical Sassy fashion, I couldn't write this as a straight forward one shot. *insert face palm* I left this fic pretty open ended so just maybe we'll see more of these two, but like always no promises.P.S.S. This is completely unbeta-ed so all grammatical errors, comma mutilation, and brain farts are mine and mine alone.
Relationships: Geralt of Rivia x OFC, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Of Leather and Smiles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shy_violet_soul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shy_violet_soul/gifts).



_“A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.”  
\- William Hazlitt_

“You can... _what?_ ”

“I can fix that for you.”

Perplexed Geralt stared down at the woman smiling at him as she nodded at the torn cuff dangling around his wrist. Last week he’d caught it on the razor wire fence he'd leapt over in pursuit of one of his monsters. He’d felt a twinge of regret as he tugged it free of the wire, but he’d been lucky. Eighth of an inch lower and it would’ve been his wrist missing a chunk of skin, not his favorite leather jacket. Best case scenario as he always reminded himself in these situations.

“What?” he grunted again, knowing that he sounded like an idiot but unable to stop himself. Was she really talking to him? And offering to help him? _Why?_ Usually most people took one look at his white hair and leathers, and they suddenly remembered that they’d left their oven on or had an extremely urgent call to make. Probably didn’t help that he was built like a post-apocalyptic linebacker either. those things didn’t exactly make him the approachable type. So what had prompted her to talk to him? Not that he minded that she was talking to him, the opposite in fact. He’d seen her around the apartment complex over the past few months since he’d moved in, and in the moment he’d laid eyes on her, she’d captured his attention. Her slender build, wavy chestnut hair and sapphire eyes were impossible to ignore. As was her breathtaking smile. 

Such a sweet, lovely smile... 

She offered it to everyone she passed. The crotchety elderly woman who lived in 152 B who perpetually scowled at him from her kitchen window. The quiet Indian couple with the two little girls who hid behind their parents whenever he passed them on the sidewalk. Even the surly apartment manager who never failed to remind him that his truck needed to be parked at the far end of the lot because it was too big to be parked with the other residents' cars. It didn’t matter who it was, she had a friendly grin for all. Except him.

Until now. 

_Be honest, you Witcher bastard. You haven’t given her the chance to smile at you. Since the moment you saw her pulling that bag of craft supplies out of her car, you’ve been avoiding her like a fucking vegan sprinting away from a bacon wrapped hot dog._

He sighed. He had been avoiding her, and it was because he didn’t dare tempt fate by even giving her a simple good morning nod. It was too dangerous. _He_ was too dangerous. So he’s stayed far, far away. Avoided her completely. She went one direction, and he made damn sure he went the other. Even though he was starving for her to even glance his way and bestow one of those smiles on him. Starving to see if her hair felt as soft as looked when the breeze whispered through it. Longing to know if her smooth cheek was as soft as it looked in late afternoon sunlight. Aching to feel those petal pink lips parting under his. Even with all that he stayed away. Better to starve himself to keep her safe.

But now it seemed like that bitch Fate had had enough and decided to fuck with him once again. Not only did it appear that his neighbor was offering to help him for no reason, but she was actually smiling at _him_. 

Fuck him sideways. What a smile it was. Warm...inviting... free from any artifice. When was the last time someone had smiled at him like that? He glanced back over his shoulder to make sure she wasn’t talking to someone behind him even though there was absolutely no reason for him to check. His preternatural sense would’ve told him if someone was there. Still the ass backwards question came stumbling out of his mouth. “Are you talking to me?”

Yes!” She smiled wider, this time actually pointing at his sleeve, the plastic grocery bags gripped in her hands swaying and bumping into her legs with the sudden movement. He nearly stumbled backwards into the brick building, so taken aback was he by the blinding warmth enveloping him. “If you drop it by my apartment sometime, I can sew that cuff back on in a jiff! That is, if you want it fixed?”

‘Uh. Sure?” Okay, what the actual hell was he doing? Did he really just agree? There was no way he should be taking her up on her generous offer! The risk was too great for both of them. _You need to shut this down now._

_“But what of the reward?”_ His stupid heart whispered, the same heart he’d ignored for so long in his solo quest to keep humanity safe. There was something about this woman that called to him even though this was the first time he’d been face to face with her. It was like his heart knew her even if his mind didn’t. It didn’t make sense, and yet here he was seemingly following his heart’s leading for the first time in ages. Why else had he agreed so quickly?

“Great! What are you doing now?”

“Now?” he rasped in surprise. “Hmmm-”

“Crap. I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself. I can practically hear my mother lecturing me right now, ‘Honey, you don’t have to fix every little problem all at once. People have lives and can take care of themselves too, you know.’ You’re obviously going somewhere, and here I am making you late.”

“No.” _Fuck, Geralt. If there ever was a time to start being a little more verbose, it would be now. You have a beautiful woman trying to carry on a conversation with you, and you’re about as chatty as the Mahakam Mountains back in the old country. He cleared his throat to try again,_ “No, you’re not making me late. I was only going out to pick up some dinner, but it can wait, Miss-?”

_Atta, boy! Look at you using actual words! Just like a real human!_

“Lanie, I’m Lanie. I’d shake your hand, but-” She threw another one of those knee melting grins his way as she sheepishly rattled the grocery bags in her hands.

“Here.” Before she could breathe a word of protest, he slipped all six bags from her hands into his left hand, and extended his right towards her. “I’m Geralt.”

She grasped his hand in a shockingly strong grip for one so small. “Geralt, it’s so nice to finally meet you! Now let’s take a look at that sleeve.”

***

“So what do you do? I’m guessing a botanist? Or maybe a corporate accountant?” she asked, gentle, teasing laughter sparkling in her eyes as she pried her groceries from his hands and began putting them away. To hide the involuntary shiver from the brush of her soft fingers against his battle roughened ones, he turned away under the guise of looking at the apartment. Her place was the mirror image of his, only so much more inviting. Colorful artwork and photos adorned the walls. A plush couch and two wing chairs provided places to relax and watch tv. He felt a pang of longing for a bit of the same comfort in his own place. All he’d had time to furnish his apartment with was a king size bed complete with a high end memory foam mattress, a recliner and few plates and bowls for the kitchen. He hadn’t even spent a consecutive week in the place so far. _“Shit, it would be kind of nice to have my place be even a tenth as welcoming as her’s,”_ he thought as he wrestled his vibrating emotions back under control. He turned back to her to find her still smiling at him.

He couldn’t resist returning her smile with one of her own. _Wait, what did she ask me? Oh yeah. My job. Shit. Fucking shit. Shit fucking shit. What do I tell her?_ His mind raced to come up with a response that would answer her question, but wouldn’t be so truthful it would send her racing to call the police or the nearest psych ward. 

Obviously he took too long to answer because just as he was opening his mouth to tell her he was a freelance security consultant or some shit like that, she ducked her head, contrition suddenly wiping away her laughter. “Damn it. I shouldn’t have teased you. We’ve just met and here I go acting like we’ve been friends since grade school. I can’t resist to tease, and I'm nosy to boot. Just ask my younger siblings. But I’m guessing your work is a little more dangerous than risking paper cuts or poison ivy. Special forces or maybe military police?”

“Very close. I’m a security specialist. How’d you guess?” He was genuinely curious. Most people just assumed he was a hired thug. Only a few had thought he was in the military. While being a witcher didn’t involve being a part of any special ops team, it was just as dangerous... actually more so at times. Being a witcher had come a long way since the days where you were beheading chimeras with a silver sword (though some hunts still required a sword or two). Now they used both spells, weapons, and technology in their hunts. Monsters had changed so witchers had to as well. Over the centuries the creatures who could mate with humans did, thus creating whole new bloodlines. The others who couldn’t, well the mages (in their oh so infinite wisdom) decided to tinker around with nature and use their magics to create monster/human hybrids of their own. So whether by nature or mage, the results were still the same. There were still creatures that endangered innocent lives. Evil still needed to be hunted, and he and his brethren were still the solitary mercenaries for hire who never stayed in one place for too long. 

Lately though, he’d been restless with life on the road. That’s why he decided to go against the norm for his kind and find an actual place to call his own. To cease some of his nomadic tendencies. He’d looked around the country and decided on Texas. It was central enough that he could be on either coast in a day’s time thereby making it a desirable location for a base of operations. It also helped Texans didn’t blink twice at a man with a small arsenal in the back of his truck. On top of all that, it was nice coming home to a decent mattress for once.

“It’s the way you carry yourself. Even when taking out your garbage you’re on high alert. You take in everything and everyone around you. You carry yourself like you’re ready to leap into action in a split second... Aaaannd now I sound like a creeper. Umm… It’s just that my living room window looks right out onto the dumpsters, so I can see everyone taking out their trash. I’m not just staring at you in particular. I stare at everyone.” Lanie nervously tucked her hair behind her ear as she placed her produce in the refrigerator. “Sorry. Again. Good lord, I’m a chatty Cathy aren’t I?”

“No, it’s okay. In my line of work I’m alone a lot, so it’s nice to hear another person’s voice. Most of the time, it’s just me talking to Roach who isn’t a great conversationalist,” he quietly laughed, the sound rusty from disuse, as he carefully laid his hand over hers on the refrigerator handle to reassure her. He tried and failed not notice how ridiculously good her hand felt nestled under his.

“Roach?”

“That’s what I call my truck.”

She chuckled, “Ah, well I’m sure the conversations are pretty one sided then. Still, I don’t want to talk your ear off. Why don’t you place your jacket on the coffee table while I go grab my sewing kit. Help yourself to a beer in the fridge!” She gently pulled her hand out from under his and bounced out of the kitchen, hair swaying against the cornflower blue cardigan that exactly matched her eyes. His eyes hungrily followed her path, taking in the slim shapely calves and gentle curves encased in a pair of charcoal grey skinny jeans. 

His hands itched to trace over those curves for himself even as he mulled over their conversation. Shit. Lanie was a perceptive one. He’d have to be careful with her. She’d probably figure out his true occupation in a couple hours if he didn’t watch it. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of spending more time with her. Maaaaybe he could use a beer...

***

Lanie came out of her guest room with her grandma’s wicker sewing basket under her arm, still slightly breathless from Geralt's touch. If this is how it felt to have him barely touch her hand, how would she even be able to stay upright if he did something as drastic as hug her or something?? She glanced into the kitchen only to be greeted with what was surely one of the most gorgeous, sexiest sights she'd ever seen: her neighbor sitting on one the barstools at the breakfast bar and drinking beer.

 _Sweet Mary and Joseph._

It should’ve been a completely unremarkable sight, but with Geralt, it was the complete opposite. It was porn, pure and simple. The thin black t-shirt that he wore under that battered leather jacket stretched over straining chest muscles and barely contained his massive biceps. Long powerful legs sprawled wide…wide enough she’d be able to fit right between them... Then there were those lickable neck muscles moving sinuously under his smooth, tanned skin as he swallowed a sip of beer. 

_Lickable?? Get your damn mind out of the gutter, Lanie Scott! You can’t be ogling your poor, unsuspecting neighbor like he's a triple scoop of Death By Chocolate on a hot August afternoon. Geez Louise!_

She couldn’t help it though. He was the most stunning man she’d ever seen. Until now she’d only seen that beauty at a distance, but now that she finally had a chance to see him up close? _Uff dah._ She’d noticed him around their complex a couple months ago, and her stomach had dropped to her toes the first time gotten a glimpse of him. She’d been dying to at least have the chance to say hi, but they always seemed to be going opposite directions. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t appreciate some strange woman running him down just to say hello. So she’d just waited until today when their paths finally crossed and a torn coat had given her the excuse to make this meeting happen.

Geralt put his beer down and stood up as she entered the kitchen again, flashing her another of those rare smiles. Lordy. That smile. It spread across those sinful lips like honey dripping off a hot scone. It gave a girl all kinds of thoughts. Thoughts that included heated breath across trembling, willing lips.

Golden eyes glinting with desire...

Calloused fingertips delicately brushing along the nape of the neck...

Tangled sheets... 

Thoughts that had only ever been thoughts and never actions. _Whoa. Down, girl. You just met the man._

It didn’t help matters that the man was a literal walking fantasy. He looked like he should be striding across the moors or riding a jet black stallion into battle. Possibly even rescuing his beloved from the hands of some dastardly, villain who’d kidnapped her as ransom in exchange for ownership of their ancestral clan’s land holdings....

_Dastardly? Villain?? Ancestral CLANS??? You’ve gone completely off your rocker, lady. Put away the romance novels and come back to earth, honey._

Rolling her eyes at her own foolishness, she plastered on her patented friendly smile. Now was the time to help a neighbor in need. She could indulge in fantasies after he was gone, and she was all alone once again. _Remember your place. Girls like you don’t get the strapping warrior types. Girls like you get cats and sole ownership of the remote._

“Okay, let’s take a look at that cuff,” Lanie said as she sat down at the dining table, picked up the ripped sleeve and inspected it, resisting the urge to stroke the buttery, soft material and also ask how the garment had gotten so many nicks and scars all over it. It was a simple fix, just like she thought it would be when she spotted it. All he’d done was pop most of the threads that attached the cuff to sleeve. It would take less than ten minutes to whipstitch it all back together. She pulled out a curved upholstery needle and a spool of waxed black thread and got to work. She was still slightly shocked that she’d offered to sew his coat for him. Normally she would’ve waited to be so bold after they’d made small talk by the mailboxes a few times. Certainly not the first time she’d ever said a word to the man, but there was just something about him that made her want to-to take care of him, bizarre as that sounded. 

She darted a look at him as Geralt sat down across from her. He wasn’t the helpless type, but he seemed so solitary. Solitary in a way that made her heart ache and wonder if he’d ever experienced the joy of a home cooked meal or the comfort of having someone waiting for him at home. Someone who could provide a haven of laughter and joy against the harsh realities of life. She never saw him with anyone. No one ever seemed to stop by and visit. She never saw anyone who might be a romantic interest.

As she stitched the minutes by, she couldn't help but ruminate more about the man patiently waiting in front of her. With even the spare knowledge she had about him, she knw he was dangerous, hard, and world weary, a true predator. You could tell that a mile away. He was the type of man who could handle anything that came his way, and not only handle it, absolutely obliterate the problem. He didn’t appear to need anyone’s help. Still…

Maybe he did need the type of help only another human could provide, and maybe she could be someone to provide that help in a small way? She took a deep breath and decided to do something bold, something risky, something she normally would never, _ever_ do. At least not with an extremely attractive man, “So about what you said earlier? You know about grabbing some dinner? How-how would you feel about having dinner with me? Here.”

Geralt stared back at her with a furrowed brow. _Well shit, I just weirded him out and now he’s trying to come up with an excuse to turn me down gently._ “You don’t have to, of course! I just bought enough salmon to feed a small family. I didn’t need that much salmon, but it was on sale and-and I just couldn’t pass up the deal. You’d be doing me a huge favor by helping me eat it before it goes-” _Stop talking, stop talking, STOP TALKING. Why are you talking so much?! You’re scaring the guy off even more! Now he’s going run the other way whenever he sees you in the parking lot!”_ So she stopped talking and quickly finished the final few stitches. Stopped and held her breath, waiting breathlessly for his answer.

***

Geralt furrowed his brow as he thought about his options. He could do the rational thing and turn her down with some lame excuse, thereby effectively cutting off any chance at getting to know her better. But it would also mean that she would be kept safe from any of the dangers that came along with entering a witcher's life.

Or. 

He could say yes, and risk the chance of hurting her, but in return, he might finally have a taste of what it would be like to have someone like this lovely woman brighten the dark corners of his soul.

Safety and unending solitude or take a gamble and possibly feel a bit of happiness for once.

“Lanie, I-I-”

Tension and anticipation simmered in the room as he paused. They both felt at the same exact moment that whatever his answer might be, it just might change both their lives irreversibly. Was he- was she ready for that? _For fuck’s sake man, the woman just hand sewed your coat back together. The least you can do is return the favor by doing dinner._

“I would be honored to have dinner with you, but only-only if you let _me_ cook.”

Lanie face absolutely bloomed with a delighted smile, "No, I would _love_ that, Geralt."


End file.
